Reuters reports that Toyota plans to relocate some of the GR Corolla’s production from Japan to the UK. The automaker plans to invest approximately $56 million in establishing a specialized production line focused on manufacturing hatchbacks for export to North America. To meet the strong demand for the GR Corolla, Toyota is seeking to shorten delivery times by making use of its underutilized manufacturing resources in the UK. Toyota is trying to reduce delivery times because it knows that drivers in North America are eager for the GR Corolla. According to a recent Reuters report, Toyota intends to shift part of the GR Corolla’s manufacturing from Japan to the United Kingdom. Reports indicate that the automaker plans to invest approximately $56 million in building a new production line that will exclusively manufacture the GR Corolla for export to North America. The smallest Corolla model is currently being produced at Toyota’s Motomachi Plant in Toyota City, but sources have told Reuters that the line is already at full capacity. Since Toyota can’t increase production at Motomachi, the company is looking to Britain to utilize its extra production capacity and reduce delivery times for the GR Corolla in North America. The new line would be built at Toyota’s Burnaston plant. It would increase annual production by approximately 10,000 cars, which would be sent to North America. The report states that the new line is expected to be ready for use by the middle of 2026. The report states that Toyota’s U.S. plants are unable to produce the GR Corolla because there are already too many hybrids on the market. Reuters sources indicate that Toyota plans to offset any tariff increases by cutting costs and has no intention of raising the price of the GR Corolla, regardless of whether it is exported from Japan or Britain. Along with this news, rumors have circulated that Toyota may be planning to produce even more of its excellent small hatchbacks.
